Hamblen: Hiking Trails, History and Festivals

Panther Creek State Park lies on Cherokee Reservoir in the historic Holston River Valley. Together with Morristown’s Civil War history, cultural venues and events, it shows Hamblen as a destination with a variety of attractions.

Hiking Trails and Disc Golf

Panther Creek State Park has 17 hiking trails with a combined length of more than 30 miles. The number of trails and their total length provide two complementary measures of the hiking options available.

Cherokee Park offers a different activity: its disc golf course is a par-62 course, suitable for beginners as well as tournament players. Hiking and disc golf offer different experiences: one focuses on a network of trails, the other on a clearly defined game.

Civil War History Sites

The historic Nenney House was occupied by General James Longstreet during the winter of 1863–64. The Crockett Tavern Museum is a replica of the family home where Davy Crockett spent his childhood. The two sites represent different historical perspectives: a general’s stay during a specific winter of the war, and a house connected to Crockett’s childhood.

Bethesda Church served as a hospital for wounded soldiers from both Union and Confederate troops. About 80 unknown soldiers are buried in Bethesda Cemetery. The historical themes of a trip therefore include both the use of a church during the war and the remembrance of soldiers whose names are unknown.

The General Longstreet Museum is the centerpiece of the Civil War Trail in the Lakeway area. It also hosts several Living History events each year. The trail and recurring events offer different ways to explore Civil War history: through a historic route and through living-history interpretation.

Arts and Events

The Rose Center for the Arts is housed in a Victorian schoolhouse and features an art gallery. Its architecture and art offerings provide two distinct reasons to visit.

The events also offer their own distinct experiences. The Morristown Strawberry Festival takes place every year on the third Saturday in May. The Sky Mart Arts Crafts & Makers Festival features arts and crafts and takes place on the fourth Saturday in April along Main Street. The Morristown Craft Beer Festival features regional craft beers; the festival takes place on the fourth Saturday at the Downtown Green and the farmers market pavilion. Mountain Makins celebrates Appalachian culture and folk life.

The dates provided offer a practical guide for planning a trip: the Sky Mart Festival is in April, and the Strawberry Festival takes place every year in May. If you want to attend a particular festival, check the date before traveling.

Morristown and the Surrounding Region

Morristown is on the East Tennessee Crossing National Scenic Byway, US Highway 25E. Morristown and Hamblen County are about an hour’s drive north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These details provide different points of reference: a named road for Morristown and a broader regional connection to the national park.

Discover more destinations: Morristown, Wilson, Monroe County, Gibson, Cumberland County, Humphreys, Hamilton, Jefferson County

For the main travel overview: Tennessee.